Spanish-Style Garlic Shrimp with Ham and Bell Peppers!

I want to share this wonderful recipe from Gourmet magazine, February 1992, for Spanish-style garlic shrimp with ham and bell peppers. Do not confuse this with Spanish garlic shrimp (gambas al ajillo), which is delicious, but I think this is even better! The best part of this recipe is that I can make it easily, as long as my freezer has some frozen shrimp and leftover diced ham.

I like to serve it with a crusty baguette, salad of tomato wedges, avocado slices, and thinly sliced red onion, dressed with Sherry vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and a sprinkling of chopped parsley, and a good bottle of Rioja. Cheers!

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Spanish-Style Garlic Shrimp with Ham and Bell Peppers

Serves 8 as an hors d'oeuvre, or 4 as a main course with salad.

Ingredients:

2 lbs large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

8 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 lb thick-sliced cooked ham, 1/2" cubes (I just buy a ham steak from the grocer.)

1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

1 red bell pepper, seeded, veins removed, chopped 1/2" cubes

1/3 cup Sherry

Minced fresh parsley, for garnish

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Rinse the shrimp and pat them dry. Sprinkle the shrimp on both sides with the salt and let them stand between layers of paper towels for 10 minutes.

In a large heavy skillet cook the garlic in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until it is golden and transfer it with a slotted spoon to a small bowl. Add the ham and the red bell pepper flakes to the skillet and cook the mixture, stirring, for 3-5 minutes, or until the ham deepens in color. (Be warned that the moisture in the ham with pop when it hits the hot oil. Patting it dry before will help.) Add the bell pepper and cook the mixture, stirring until the bell pepper softens. 

Add the shrimp and saute the mixture over moderately high heat, turning the shrimp, for 3 minutes. Add the Sherry and the garlic and simmer the mixture, stirring and turning the shrimp occasionally, until the shrimp are just cooked through. Transfer the shrimp mixture to a heated serving dish, sprinkle with the parsley and a grinding of black pepper.